Dual Diagnosis Practitioner

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Clinical Responsibilities:

To provide comprehensive, culturally appropriate, evidence-based assessments to establish eligibility for health and social care services and consult/refer to other services, when appropriate, in relation to the service user’s substance use needs. 

To provide all service users with a holistic substance use assessment encompassing health and social care needs in line with The Care Act, The Mental Health Act, The Mental Capacity Act and other relevant legislation.

To formulate, monitor and review service user care plans in relation to their substance use needs and discharge when appropriate, ensuring a smooth flow of patients through the service.

To complete TOPs forms as required.

To undertake continuous risk assessment and risk management. 

To provide direct therapeutic care to users in their own home or other community settings using evidence-based nursing skills or other relevant skills such as psychosocial interventions; including Motivational Interviewing, harm minimisation and relapse prevention to meet the service user’s substance use needs.

To offer supervision, training, and guidance to external agencies as required.

To identify cultural, spiritual, and communication needs of users within a diverse community, and ensure that these needs are addressed in the care plan.

To participate in multidisciplinary responses to crisis situations.             

To identify and support carers and to participate in carers’ assessments.

To work in partnership with other agencies such as Housing, Social Services and GPs. 

To complete all necessary documentation including financial assessments to refer service users to day and residential rehab programmes, to meet their substance use needs. 

To provide comprehensive reviews of placements and services in relation to the service user’s substance use needs. 

To identify and work proactively to address Safeguarding and Child Protection issues and to implement procedures as required.

Communication

To ensure open channels of communication with both internal and external agencies.

To possess excellent communication skills and form positive therapeutic relationships using warmth and empathy.

To be aware of own verbal and non-verbal communication.

To participate in and provide a specialist substance use perspective to multidisciplinary team meetings/case discussions, to include business and clinical meetings, supervision groups and staff support groups.

To maintain close working liaison with the inpatient services.

To provide continuity of care by covering for colleagues across RBKC and WCC when on annual leave, sickness, or when the service requires it etc.

To communicate via an interpreter when required.

Education and Training 

To provide, where necessary, high-quality supervision and teaching in both formal and informal settings on substance use in mental health.

To work in conjunction with Dual Diagnosis Workers across the Trust to provide training on substance use in mental health to staff in mental health services, substance use services and other relevant agencies.

To lead, present and participate in team training sessions to share skills and knowledge within a multi-disciplinary team.  

To attend ongoing training including statutory and mandatory courses to meet the objectives set in your personal development plan and/or appraisal.  

To ensure clinical information on working practices and developments are up-to-date.

To take an active interest in research into mental health and substance use, utilising findings where appropriate and developing research-based practice.

Management of Resources 

To work within agreed levels of resources, both human and financial.

Data Recording/Administration

To collect and record clinical data in the required format on both CNWL and local authority databases.   

To maintain integrated client records accurately in line with NMC, CNWL and local authority policy and The Data Protection Act/GDPR.  

To write reports, complete substance use assessments and other documentation for referrals to day and residential rehab programmes.

Management, Supervision and Accountability  

To be managerially accountable to the Team Manager and Clinical Team Leaders.

To receive caseload supervision and appraisal in accordance with CNWL Policy and to use this time to reflect on clinical and professional practice and professional development.

To be professionally accountable to Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust.

To maintain professional registrations, inform the Team Manager if these lapse, and adhere to the appropriate codes of conduct.

To uphold the principles of the NMC Code of Professional Conduct and adhere to all other statements as required by the NMC or other any professional Code of Conduct.  

To act up for the Clinical Team Leader when required. 

To offer support and guidance to junior members of staff, in the absence of seniors, on a day-to-day basis.

To be available as a Clinical Supervisor if desired, in line with Trust Policy. 

Research and Service Development:   

To actively engage in health promotion and psycho-education in line with NSF guidelines.

To contribute to the development of policies and procedures devised by the team, in line with Trust Clinical Governance and Audit.

To identify service development needs and to lead or participate in approved audit and research programmes.

Quality Assurance 

To be directly accountable and responsible for own nursing practice and to operate in line with NMC Code of Professional Conduct in relation to rules, regulations and policies on direct user care.

To act as an autonomous clinician.

To act with the guidance, policies and procedures issued by the Trust’s Directorate of Nursing and Social Services, to maintain and continually improve practice as outlined with PREP.

To act within the Trust Clinical Governance framework and inform local Clinical Governance Groups in relation to evidence-based practice. 

To maintain and observe the confidentiality of all information relating to clients as laid down in the Confidentiality Policy and the Caldicott Principles.

To take part in any approved research programmes.